However, in an interview with Eurogamer, Microsoft's Phil Spencer admitted that the deal with Square Enix has a duration.

"Yes, the deal has a duration," Spencer confirmed. "I didn't buy it. I don't own the franchise."

Asked if he could reveal how long the duration of the deal would last, he replied: "No. It's not because I'm trying to be a headfake on anybody. It's a deal between us and the partner.

"People ask me how much did we pay. There are certain things I'm just not going to talk about because it's a business deal between us and them. Obviously the deal does have a duration. I didn't buy the IP in perpetuity," he added.

Spencer hinted that Rise of the Tomb Raider could experience the same fate as Ryse and Dead Rising, both of which ended up on PC.

"Where this thing will go over time, just like Dead Rising or Ryse, we'll see what happens with the game.

"I don't own every iteration of Tomb Raider. I don't own them building Tomb Raider on other platforms."